Tool for cutting and stripping cable



Dec. 16, 1969' J. KRAMPE TOOL FOR CUTTING AND STRIPPING CABLE Filed Oct. 23, 1967 VENTOR United States Patent US. Cl. 3090.7 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DiSCLOSURE A cutting tool for stripping cables and wires. An elongated handle has an end face provided with an elongated axial recess. The holder is provided on the handle and has a portion juxtaposed with the end face and arranged for pressing a cable into engagement with the end face overlying the recess. A cutter is received in the recess and has an end portion provided with a cutting edge projecting outwardly beyond the end face. The cutter is mounted for turning movement about an axis and defined by the axial extension of the recess and for axial movement between two end positions in which the end portion respectively projects to a minimum and a maximum distance beyond the end face.

Background of the invention The present invention relates generally to tools, and more particularly to cutting tools. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to tools for stripping of wires, cables, and analogous articles.

In stripping insulating material, so-called jacketing, or armoring material so'called sheathing from wires or cables or from analogous articles, a circular cut is first made in the jacket or sheath at a requisite distance inwardly from the end of the article, which hereafter, for the sake of convenience will be referred to as the cable. Thereupon, it is advantageous, although in some instances not entirely necessary, to slit the thus severed end portion of the jacket or sheath in longitudinal direction that is from the point of circular cut to the end of the cable. This longitudinal slitting is usually necessary to provide a proper and clean removal of the jacket or shea h.

Heretofore it has been necessary to change the mode of operation of the tool used for these two purposes, in that after completion of the circular cut the knife holder had to be turned 90 degrees to permit carrying out the longitudinal slitting. This is time consuming and sometimes, de ending upon the construction of the cutting tool being used, difficult to accomplish. In any case, such tools are relatively complicated in their construction and are always awkward to use.

Summary of the invention The present invention overcomes these disadvantages outlined above.

More particularly the present invention provides an improved cutting tool which is very simple in its construction and which is adjustable with the greatest ease for performing all requisite cuts which are required in the stripping of cables, wires and other articles of this type.

The tool according to the present invention requires no complicated adjustments for changing its mode of operation from a circular cut to longitudinal slitting of the jacket or sheath.

In accordance with one feature of my invention 1 pro vide a tool, particularly a cutting tool for stripping of cables and analogous articles, as has already been pointed out before which includes an elongated handle and hold ing means provided on the handle. The handle has an end face which is provided with an elongated axial recess extending inwardly therefrom and the holding means is provided on the handle and is operative for holding an article, namely a cable, wire or the like which is to be stripped in a position overlying the recess. Cutter means is received in the recess and has an end portion which projects outwardly beyond the end face. The cutter means is mounted in the recess for turning movement about an axis which is coincident of the axis of the recess and it is further mounted for axial movement between two end positions in which the end portion respectively projects beyound the end face by a maximum and by a minimum distance.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing The single figure is a partial longitudinal section illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment Discussing now the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the tool according to the present invention comprises the customary handle 1 on which there is mounted a holding member 2. It is advantageous that the holding member 2 be slidable in axial direction of the handle 1, and how this mounting can be accomplished is well known to those skilled in the art and need not be specifically described. The drawing illustrates that the free end of the holding member 2 is angled so as to extend across the free end face 1a of the handle 1. An axially extending bore or recess 1b is provided in the end face 1a and extends in direction towards the opposite end of the handle 1. A cable, wire, other conductor or analogous article which is to be stripped (not illustrated) is clamped between the end face 1a and the free end portion of the member 2 so that it overlies the recess 1b in the end face In.

A cutting member is generally identified with reference numeral 3 and of substantially bar or rod-shaped configuration. The member 3 is received in the recess 1b and extends for substantially the major portion of the extension of the recess and therefore of the length of the handle 1. it is supported within the recess 1b by a first hearing support 4 and a second bearing support 5 which are respectively located adjacent the end provided with the end face In and the other end remote from the end face 1a. An end portion 6 of the member 3 projects outwardly of the recess 1b, and in fact, outwardly beyond the end face 1a of the handle 1. In the illustrated embodiment this end portion 6 consists of two sections 6a and 6b. The section 6a is laterally offset from the axis of the remainder of the member 3 and therefore from the axis of the recess 1b and extends in axial parallelism with this axis. A cutting edge 7 is provided on the section 6a and faces the axis of the remainder of the member 3. The section 612 extends at an angle to the remainder of the member 3 and the section 611, connecting the two with one another.

The drawing illustrates that the member 3 is guided for turning movement and for axial movement in the bearing support 4. The bearing support 5, however, is rigid with the inner end of the member 3 as illustrated in the drawing. The rear end portion of the handle 1, that is the end portion remote from the end face 1a of the handle 1, is provided with a bore extending in axial direction and communicating with the recess 1b. This bore is internally screw-threaded and receives an externally screw-threaded screw plug or similar member 9, an inner end 8 of which is bifurcated to provide two arms 11, and recessed rearwardly of these arms 11, so that the bearing support, which here is identified as a member rigid with the inner free end of member 3, can be received in this recess or cutout of the portion 8. Thus, the screw 9 and the member 3 are free to rotate with reference to one another and enter any rotary movement of the member 3 which is initiated by engagement of the end portion 6 thereof will not be impeded, and will not be transmitted to the screw 9. On the other hand, if the screw 9 is rotated in a sense either to insert it deeper into the screw threaded bore provided in the handle 1, or to Withdraw it from this bore, the member 3 will be compelled to follow such movement and will therefore be shifted in axial direction between two end positions in which the end portion 6 will either extend outwardly beyond the end face 1a to a maximum distance, or to a minimum distance. Of course, intermediate these two end positions the adjustment in the extent to which the end portion 6 will project beyond the end face 1a is continuous.

The drawing clearly illustrates that, whenever the handle 10: is moved, regardless of whether it is moved circumferentially of a cable or similar article clamped between the member 2 and the end face 111 for providing a circular cut in the jacket or sheath thereof or whether it is drawn in axial direction of such cable or similar article, the cutting member 3 is free to rotate within the handle 1 so that the cutting edge 7 can always adjust itself and face in the direction of movement. Thus, no adjustments are necessary on the tool disclosed herein to change from a mode of operation in which a circular cut is to be made, to a mode of operation in which an axial slit is to be made. On the other hand, the provision of the screw 9 and its operative connection with the member 3 in the manner disclosed herein, makes it possible to adjust the extent to which the end portion 6 of the member 3 projects beyond the end face 1, and to thereby adjust the tool for diiferent thicknesses of the jacket or sheath which is to be cut.

The tool disclosed herein is considerably simpler than other tools known for this purpose, it is considerably easier to use and, because it does not require adjustments to change the mode of operation as discussed before, permits a considerable decrease in the time required to effect a given stripping action.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of tools diifering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a tool, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. A cutting tool for stripping cables and analogous articles, comprising in combination, an elongated handle having an end face provided with a recess extending inwardly thereof; holding means provided on said handle and operative for holding an article to be stripped in a position in which the article overlies the recess and extends transversely to the axis of the same; and an elongated cutter element mounted in said recess with freedom of turning movement about a pivot axis coincident with the axis of said recess, said cutter element including a free end section laterally offset from said pivot axis and being provided with a cutting edge extending in parallelism with said pivot axis laterally offset from and facing the same.

2. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises a biasing member biasing an article to be stripped against said end face.

3. A tool as defined in claim 2, wherein said biasing member comprises a first portion slidably mounted on said handle and a second portion provided on said first portion and extending transversely thereof across said end face, said first portion being mounted on said handle for sliding movement indirection axially toward and away from said end face whereby to vary the distance between the latter and said second portion so that articles of different cross-section may be accommodated therebetween.

4. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutter element further comprises a connecting section connecting said free end section with the remainder of said cutter element.

5. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle has a first and a second end portion, one of said end portions being provided with said end face; and further comprising adjusting means provided at the other of said end portions and operatively associated with said cutter element for adjustably displacing the same between two end positions in which said face end section respectively projects outwardly of said recess beyond said end face by a maximum and by a minimum distance.

6. A tool as defined in claim 5, wherein said adjusting means comprises screw means.

7. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said recess is provided with an internally threaded section in the region of said other end portion, said screw means being threadedly received in said threaded section and being coupled with said cutter element for adjustably displacing the same between said end positions thereof in response to rotation of said screw means in a sense tending to respectively insert and withdraw said screw means from said end section.

8. A tool as defined in claim 7, wherein said cutter element comprises a terminal portion extending into said end section, and wherein said screw means comprises an inner portion located in said end section and engaging said terminal portion so that the latter has freedom of rotation relative to said screw means but is compelled to move axially relative to said end face in response to rotation of said screw means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 820,937 5/1906 OHearn 30-92 X 1,677,922 7/1928 Kasztler 3092 1,885,944 11/1932 Pedersen 3090.7 2,141,002 12/1938 Huff 3090.7 2,380,725 7/1945 Crowder 3O90.6 2,778,105 1/1957 Carta 30-907 2,830,366 4/1958 Chisena 3090.7 3,043,004 7/1962 Walter 30-925 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 819.5 

